SC seeks Centre's reply on Jharkhand's pleas against coal blocks auction for commercial mining

The Supreme Court Tuesday issued notice to the Centre on Jharkhand government's pleas challenging decision to auction coal mines for commercial mining.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices R Subhash Reddy and A S Bopanna gave the Centre four weeks to reply on the writ petition and an original suit filed by the Jharkhand government questioning the decision to auction coal blocks for commercial mining.

The state government has alleged that the announcement was made by the Centre "unilaterally" without its consultation.